


The Talent Concert

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-06-13
Packaged: 2018-04-04 05:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4126780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Blair go to a talent concert at Rainier</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Talent Concert

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Sentinel Thursday challenge rich/poor

 

Talent Concert

by Bluewolf

"There's a talent contest on at Rainier tomorrow night," Blair said. "One of my sophomore class has entered, and I know she's good; I want to show my support for her. Want to come with me?"

"I know what those shows can be like, Chief - talent is the last thing a lot of the contestants have."

"Well, yes, though that depends a lot on your definition of talent. You reckon there hasn't been a decent group since Santana, but there have been a lot who hit the big time since then. Somebody obviously thinks they have talent, even though you don't. And some of this lot I know are quite good - and they're not all singers."

Jim looked unconvinced.

"There'll be an interval. If you find you're thinking of it as a waste of time nobody will notice if you slip out then and don't come back - if anyone asks me I can say you were developing a migraine and wanted to get home to medication and a totally dark room, though I really don't think anyone would ask. I won't come with you, though - my student is on in the second half. There'll be two or three people there that I know I can always ask to give me a lift home."

Jim capitulated, as Blair had known he would.

***

Jim did insist, when they reached Rainier the next evening, that they sat at the end of a row of seats, not in the middle. "Easier for me to disappear if I feel I have to get away," he murmured.

Blair grinned. "Tuc, tuc, tuc."

"It's not chicken to quit if I'm really not enjoying myself."

"No, I don't suppose it is," Blair agreed.

They stood two or three times to allow people past them and into the middle of the row. One scowled slightly as if she resented having to squeeze past them; Blair murmured, "Long legs. He always gets an aisle seat any time he's in a plane, so he can stretch them."

The hall filled quite quickly, and the show started.

Jim was pleasantly surprised during the first half at the range of talent that was represented, from a very poor ventriloquist whose script was good but who still hadn't learned how not to move his mouth when his dummy 'spoke', to the singer of a current pop song whose presentation was an exact copy of the original singer. Not original, obviously, but very cleverly done; the young man might or might not make it as a singer, but certainly had some sort of future as a mimic. After each act, the competitor slipped from the side of the stage to take a seat in the front two rows, that had been reserved for them.

When it came to the interval, Blair glanced at him. "Well?"

He grinned. "You were right. They're not all equally good, obviously, but on the whole... "

***

During the interval, the competitors in the second half left their places in the front and headed backstage. Jim nodded thoughtfully. It was one way of keeping the numbers in the stage area manageable, and gave the competitors a chance to see their 'opposition'.

The second half was a repeat of the first, with a selection of different acts including a surprisingly gifted magician; even Jim couldn't see how the youngster managed some of his tricks.

Finally it came to the last act, and Blair murmured, "This is the girl I really came to hear. Julie."

"Your sophomore."

"Yeah."

It seemed that most of the audience knew the girl; the applause that greeted her appearance went on for some time. Finally the audience fell silent, the introductory music began, and then Julie began singing.

_"Midnight_

_Not a sound from the pavement_

_Has the moon lost her memory?_

_She is smiling alone... "_

The rich voice filled the hall totally effortlessly.

As she finished the applause was deafening. Even the other competitors were cheering. There was no doubting who had won this talent concert, and Jim suspected that she had been put last deliberately to finish the concert on a brilliant high.

Judging was on the basis of applause.

Second - and well deserved, Jim thought - was the magician. Third place went to another singer - Jim had registered him as good, so he wasn't really surprised.

"I'll just have a quick word with Julie," Blair murmured, obviously expecting Jim to head straight back to the truck; but Jim followed him.

She was surrounded by friends - and even the losing competitors were loud in their congraulations. They stepped aside, however, as Blair approached.

"Julie, you were magnificent. Even my friend Jim was impressed - and for someone who thinks there hasn't been anyone worth listening to since Santana, well... "

"You have a really good voice, Julie," Jim said quietly. "And congratulations."

"Thanks." She sounded quite shy, and Jim instantly realized why her win was so popular, quite apart from the quality of her voice; she clearly made no attempt to push herself forward, clearly did not consider herself to be of more worth than everyone else.

Jim left Blair speaking to Julie and looked around, quickly pinpointing the magician. He crossed to the boy, who had his own circle of friends, though it was much smaller.

"Hi - can I say how impressed I was with your act? You're really good."

"Thanks." This one, too, sounded as if he didn't push himself forward.

"What's your subject?" Not anthropology, he knew, or Blair would have mentioned him.

"Languages. There are good job prospects for someone who's fluent in several languages."

"And if you were to make a career of magic, you could tour the world and not have any problems with communication. In your place, I'd consider it."

"I know I came second - it was what the rest of us were aiming for, because we all knew Julie would win, she has such a good voice - but do you really think I'm good enough to make a career out of magic?"

"I'm trained to observe. I hadn't a clue how you managed some of those tricks. Yes, I think you're good enough. Good luck!" Aware that Blair was moving, he turned away to join his friend.

***

"So it was worth going to?" Blair asked as Jim started the truck.

"Some of those youngsters are really talented," Jim replied. "Even the ventriloquist had potential, though he needs a lot more practise. Yes - it was worth going."

He drove contentedly homewards.


End file.
